Supporting preservation efforts and local artists through on-site art-making, community conversations, and exhibitions.

Welcome to Painting for Preservation!

Welcome to Painting for Preservation! This initiative, founded by artist Sara M. Zak, is aimed at drawing attention to distressed, at-risk, and under-utilized historic locations through on site art making.

Mission: To bring together artists of all media in support of historic distressed properties and communities. To create artwork on-site related to the location as a means of raising positive awareness of the space. My hope is that we can continue this effort in Buffalo and expand the concept to other architecturally rich cities. Please e-mail Sara M. Zak if you are interested in starting a Painting for Preservation initiative in your city at info@paintingforpreservation.org

Saturday, July 30, 2011

The Big Bang of Painting for Preservation was (1) the demolition hearings for the Blacksmith Shop on South Park near DL&W Terminal around the back of HSBC Arena in the transitional area between the Cobblestone District and Canalside, (2) the existing talented group of Niagara Frontier Plein-Air Painters, and (3) Sara M. Zak, a fine-artist, who brought the two of them together to focus on the Blacksmith Shop. The first Art-In, a word-play on the Sit-In protest tactic, took place on March 29, 2011 with over 10 painters.

In less-than-six months, Painting for Preservation in collaboration with Preservation-Ready Sites, a list of must-save historic buildings, has hosted five more Art-Ins through out the City.There are three more planned between August and September with a crescendo in October for the National Preservation Conference.

Because sometimes even I forget, our first six Art-Ins are listed below with links to finished work. To understand what we do check out the pictures of us working. Painters, photographers, sketchers, fabric artists, collage artists and anyone observing gather at a historic building with art supplies, set up on the grass, sidewalks, rocking chairs and get started making portraits of gorgeous yet neglected/neglected yet gorgeous buildings. Everyone is welcome to these events and we encourage participation from community members.

Listed as one of the Preservation League of New York State's "Seven to Save" in recent years, Harris Hardware, is perhaps the oldest operating African-American owned business on the East Side. The ca. 1890 three-story masonry commercial building features two-story bay windows, ashlar window hoods, and brick work at the parapet. Painting took place from across the street in a parking lot. While a nice place to paint, it points to the reality of the need to support Harris Hardware, if not only to prevent demolition, but to sustain a vital business.

Artists Head East for April 30th Paint-In, Buffalo RisingWhere the heART Is – Preservation Paint-Ins Sets Sights on Harris Hardware, The Good Neighborhood"...a collective of artists and preservationists donning paint brushes and a fresh perspective are encouraging us to take another look at these structures. They see beauty in the façade; they see life in the lines of these grand old buildings – and they’re celebrating them the way they know how – painting, drawing, photography. Every month, the group of artists stages a Preservation Paint-In to shine some light on a beautiful old building in need of some tender loving care."

P4P artists took to St. Vincent's Female Orphan Asylum, quicker than the impending name would suggest, to render the ca. 1899 five-story masonry structure notable architecturally for its diversity of window types and culturally for its role in the medical and care-taking movements of our region. Listed as a Preservation-Ready Site, Buffalo Rising and Buffalo Spree have covered the restoration story with a happy ending as the Health Sciences Charter Schoolis set to move into two-floors of the building. During the May Art-In, artists created to the sounds of machinery working through the weekend to make this project happen in time for the up-coming school year.

This small frame barn with careful detailing, known for its yellow paint job, is believed to be an original Calvert Vaux-designed fixture of what was Frederick Law Olmsted's The Parade, now known as Martin Luther King Jr. Park near Humboldt Parkway, also part of the parks and parkways system. Even with rain, artists participated - sketching from inside station wagons. The Vaux Barn is privately owned and in need of weatherization at the least.

6. Central Terminal, Paderewski DrCentral Terminal is the preservation poster-child for community-driven reinvestment and reinvention of an architecturally significant building that have lost their original use, in this case as a major transportation hub. Driven by volunteers, the Central Terminal Restoration Corporation, recently released their master plan for a mixed-use concourse, apartments, and offices. In the mean time, Buffalo knows Central Terminal to host massive events!

Knowing this, Buffalo Unscripted, a documentary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation kicked-off a week of filming at I Heart Central Terminal to show us in our natural habitat answering: "Is Buffalo misunderstood?" and "What should Buffalo save?" Painting for Preservation artists came out full-force with the addition of a couple new folks, a collage artist and a textile artist - blowing our minds with the diversity of media that can illustrate the iconic Central Terminal. Come as you are.

Painting for Preservation is an eclectic and inclusive group of artists of all media and skill level that gathers to make art of historic buildings, drawing attention to their aesthetics and the opportunity for preservation. We also seek to highlight the artwork of artists working within the urban environment. The art also creates a record of what we hope are the "before" shots of preservation-ready historic buildings.

Check back soon for the next Painting for Preservation locations [August 13, August 27, September 11] or email Sara M. Zak, Founder or Meagan Baco, Co-organizer, at P4Partist@gmail.comfor more information. Sites for 2012 are in discussion.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Saturday, July 16th P4P visited Buffalo's Central Terminal with Buffalo Unscripted to be inspired. Artists were invited to work in the main concourse area, outside, or partake in a "photo tour" of the building. They were also invited to be interviewed for Buffalo Unscripted, a documentary by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Although I don't have all the names of the artists who participated at the moment, I'll list the ones I know and update as I get further info...

And all of the photographers who came out for Buffalo Unscripted's photo tour!!! I'll be happy to add your name, website, and image(s) here if you contact me! If anyone has a website they'd like me to link to, I'm more than happy to do so, just let me know at sara@saramzak.com

﻿﻿﻿﻿

Sara working and manning the community art project

﻿﻿﻿﻿

Amanda Hibbert and her very cool fabric painting (she made the fabric too!); Photo by Anna Miller

Saturday, July 2, 2011

Painting for Preservation (P4P) will be creating new artwork at the I Heart the Central Terminal event for the kick-off event of Buffalo Unscripted filming. The all-day event at the Central Terminal on Paderewski Drive is on Saturday, July 16, 2011 with the P4P event starting at 9:30am to 3:30pm. Architects, painters, photographers, videographers - artists of all media and skill level are welcome, or come to observe artists tackle the iconic Central Terminal tower. Exterior and typically off-limits interior locations will be accessible to participants.

P4P is an inclusive and eclectic group of artists and preservationists that gather to create artwork on-site at under-appreciated historic buildings. The act of meeting at these spaces highlights the setting of unique architectural places and creates a record of their aesthetic value, all to raise awareness of their preservation opportunity. Past locations include the Blacksmith Shop, Harris Hardware, St. Vincent's Orphanage, Vaux Barn and Lyth Cottage; many locations are part of the Preservation-Ready Sites project.

Buffalo Unscripted is a grassroots documentary sponsored by the National Trust for Historic Preservation filming in Buffalo, July 16-23, 2011. All Buffalonians are invited to participate by answering questions like, “Describe Buffalo in one word,” “What's your favorite building in your neighborhood?” The premier of Buffalo Unscripted will take place during the National Preservation Conference in Buffalo from October 19-22, 2011.